FG begins mass trial of suspected terrorists in Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuua, on Tuesday, begin the mass trial of suspected terrorists on allegations bordering on terrorism offences in Abuua.

The trial, which usually takes place at Kainji in Niger, was brought to Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja since the court is currently on Easter vacation.

The vacation, which commences on Tuesday, April 7, will end on April 13 and regular court sittings will resume on Tuesday, April 14, across all divisions of the court.

The 13 courts at the Abuja FHC is currently busy with terrorist cases.

Some of the trial judges are Justice Binta Nyako, Justice Emeka Nwite, Justice Musa Liman, Akpan Ekerete, among others.

While Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, led the team of the Federal Government’s lawyers before Justice Nyako, Aliyu Abubakar, the Director General, Legal Aide Council, led the team of lawyers for the 20 suspected terrorists before Nyako.

Some of the suspected terrorists in Nyako’s cause list include Hamat Modu, Isah Ali, Awal Bello, Shehu Bukar, Alhaji Kulle,, Mohammed Abacha Hassan, Aminami Mallum, Tasiu Yakubu, Abdullahi Ali, among others.

There were heavy security beef-up in and around the Abuja Federal High Court as all roads leading to the court were blocked by armed security personnel while police helicopter hovered around the Central Business District.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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